Prevention
When it comes to pests, prevention is key. It’s far easier—and much more effective—to take steps that stop pests before they become established than to wait until you’re facing an outbreak. Follow these practices to keep your plants healthy and bug-free:
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Acclimate Your Seedlings
Follow our seedling-receiving recommendations to ensure new plants are properly acclimated after their journey to your home. This helps reduce stress and keeps them less vulnerable to pests. -
Maintain Your Device
A consistent maintenance routine keeps both your plants and your growing system clean. Fresh water, clean modules, and well-pruned plants create conditions that make pest infestations far less likely. Think of it this way: just like people, healthy plants are less likely to “catch” bugs. -
Scout Regularly
Scouting means closely inspecting your plants—especially the undersides of leaves, where pests often hide. Look for tiny insects as well as signs of damage, which are often easier to spot than the pests themselves. Regular scouting allows you to catch problems early, before populations grow out of control. -
Use Preventative Sprays
Even with the best care, pests can still find their way in. Because they are small and good at hiding, it’s not always possible to detect every intruder. That’s why we recommend periodic preventative treatments using the Arber kit (or a similar product). Preventative sprays help ensure that pest populations never have the chance to get established.
Curative Pest Treatment: Major Pests
Despite your best efforts, pests may still show up—it’s a natural part of gardening. Don’t worry! You have options to control their spread and protect your plants.
While prevention is always more effective than reaction, here are steps you can take if pests do appear. Keep in mind, you can always choose to reset your device instead of following a treatment plan. Sometimes removing all plants and leaving the system empty and clean for 10+ days is the simplest way to eliminate an outbreak.
What to Expect with Curative Treatment
The earlier you begin treatment, the easier it will be to bring pests under control. The severity of the infestation and the type of pest will determine how challenging it is to manage. The most common pests include: aphids, fungus gnats, caterpillars, thrips, spider mites, and leaf miners. With the exception of Fungus Gnats, curative pest control can be challenging and time consuming. Consider the Pros and Cons of treatment vs resetting your stand if you have very high pest pressure:
Pros:
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You can continue growing your existing plants.
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Overcoming a pest outbreak can be rewarding and educational.
Cons:
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If pest pressure is very high (entire leaves covered with bugs), treatment may be time-consuming and less effective than resetting.
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You may spend more effort than simply starting fresh and following prevention strategies.
Fungus Gnat Treatment
Fungus gnats are generally easier to manage than other pests. We recommend:
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Hanging yellow sticky cards near your grow stand or inserting them into grow cups. Gnats are attracted to yellow and will get trapped. Replace cards each growing cycle.
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If growing indoors, use a gentle fan to disturb gnats and encourage them toward sticky cards.
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Apply a hydrogen peroxide solution (1 part 3% food-grade hydrogen peroxide to 4 parts water) directly onto the top ½ inch of the grow medium. This targets larvae living in the soil.
Aphids, Thrips, and Spider Mites Treatment
These pests can be more challenging. Here are the pros and cons of treating instead of resetting:
Pressure-Dependent Strategies:
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Low to Medium Pressure
(1–3 plants with fewer than 5 visible pests each)-
Apply Arber insecticide or another option, such as insecticidal soap or pyrethrins.
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Treat 1–2 times per week (indoors: apply when lights are off; outdoors: in the early morning or evening).
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Repeat for 3 weeks.
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Continue scouting regularly and follow up with preventative sprays once per month.
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High Pressure
(3+ plants with more than 5 pests each)-
Remove all plants from your stand.
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Rinse plants thoroughly with a hose or in the sink to wash off pests.
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Once plants are dry, apply Arber or another insecticide as directed (typically 1–2 times per week).
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Repeat rinsing weekly if pests persist.
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Pest ID:
Aphids
- Nymphs: Small with green, yellow, black or gray bodies. Look for white exoskeletons on tops of leaves (easier to find since they don’t move, hide, and seeing the white on green is easier). Can also leave a sticky sap residue on leaves.
- Adults: Can be light green or black. Black ones can be mistaken for fungus gnats, but they move much slower and don’t actually fly around too much. Can be easily distinguished from the long narrow wings that extend below the body.
- Aphids leave behind a sticky substance on the leaves called “honeydew”, which can sometimes be easier to spot than the aphids themselves. Aphids also molt throughout their lifecycle, leaving behind discarded skin or ‘molts’. Looking for molts is one of the best ways to look for aphids. Molts closely resemble bright white skeletons, which stand out against dark green leaves. If you find molts on your leaves, you have aphids.
Fungus Gnats
Fungus gnats are harmless in small numbers and relatively easy to control. Fungus gnats are small flying insects that feed on decaying organic matter and algae that can form on the grow medium. Fungus gnats are prevalent in many horticultural settings because their primary food source - algae - is an inherent part of growing plants. Adult fungus gnats don’t actually damage plants but they can be an annoyance.
Larvae are clear 1/4" worms that live in the top portion of the grow medium.
Adults are black and resemble small mosquitoes. They are attracted to lights so they may hover around grow lights.
Caterpillars
While many types of caterpillars exist, most are brown or green worms that leave behind black droppings and holes that go all the way through leaves. They can be difficult to find because they are often found on the underside of leaves and lay against leaf stems in order to blend in. They will start to move around once they are done resting in the mornings.
Leaf Miners
Leaf miner activity is directly related to temperature, so their damage is usually not an issue during Fall and Winter months. They can cause damage at both the larval and adult stages. Leaf miner larvae tunnel or ‘mine’ their way through leaf tissues. These tunnels leave behind damaged tissue that can cause a significant loss in leaf area, directly affecting yield, and can be prone to bacterial infection.
Mites
Mites are quite small, and they often require a hand lens in order to identify. They prefer warm temperatures and can reproduce quickly in the right conditions. Mites can cause severe damage to flowering crops, and they can be difficult to control once established. Mites usually live in colonies on the underside of leaves, out of direct light. Because of their small size, they can be difficult to spot so their damage is often mistaken for nutritional deficiencies. (Think yellowish stippling, distorted fruits or flowers, and webbing.)
Thrips
Thrips are extremely small, active and move quickly when disturbed, making them difficult to identify. Nymphs are more visible due to their bright yellow color. Looking for damage can be an easier indicator that thrips are present. Look for a stippling or “scratching'' appearance on leaves, silvering of leaves, or twisted leaf and flower growth.
